Unfortunately, I don't know where my program disappeared to. I'm getting ready to move, and my place is in shambles. The program started off a bit slow, with the dancing in Les Sylphides a bit less than the crisp standard of last year's ABT visit to the Kennedy Center. It's a ballet that's little more than a dance exhibition, so every imperfection is noticeable. They used a man from the corps as the male dancer, and it took a while for him to get comfortable. Lots of little extra steps to get his balance after the first few jumps off the solo. There was a little wavering amongst the corps and some spacing issues.

Aftereffect, like the program in general, started off slow, and at first I thought that I wasn't going to like it. But it eventually got cranking, with some nice athletic dancing for the men. I was unable to discern a theme, however.

The Dream was by far the best of the 3. Again, the start was a bit disconcerting since the ballet begins in the middle of the story. But that was quickly forgotten,as the dancing was up to the previous ABT standards. Julie Kent was very impressive as Titania and Herman Cornejo was outstanding as Puck. Unfortunately, the orchestra wasn't good at all. The tuba player totally muffed an important passage (and was almost as bad the 2nd night) and the horn players also clanked some notes. There were overall balance issues, with the strings being way too weak.

ETA: I just read the Washington Post review, and I agree with basically the entire review.

I saw The Dream opening night but missed the first half of the program. It was a joyous performance of a beautiful, warm, funny, tender and moving ballet. There aren't enough superlatives in the language for Cornejo's Puck, who stole the show. The pas de deux, for me, didn't quite ignite. Kent was stylish and idiomatic, with gorgeous epaulement, but her dancing was somewhat careful. Gomes' technique wasn't perfect, either, as he had some trouble holding the attitudes in the mirror adagio (in the "Y pose"). Still, minor quibbles in what was a buoyant performance.

And, yes, the orchestra was somewhat sloppy, but I'll take the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra any day over ABT's often wan, listless, and scrappy in-house band. The children's chorus did have a false entrance in the coda, which was somewhat distracting...

I'm headed to DC (unexpectedly!!!!) tomorrow for the matinee. As I live right outside of Philly, it's only a 2 and 1/2 hour drive for me. Can't beat 35 dollar tickets. Too bad I was going to go into work tomorrow to catch up on stuff and now I'm heading to the Kennedy center. It's my first time seeing Don Quixote. I also have tickets to the Wednesday matinee on 5/14.

I'm headed to DC (unexpectedly!!!!) tomorrow for the matinee. As I live right outside of Philly, it's only a 2 and 1/2 hour drive for me. Can't beat 35 dollar tickets. Too bad I was going to go into work tomorrow to catch up on stuff and now I'm heading to the Kennedy center. It's my first time seeing Don Quixote. I also have tickets to the Wednesday matinee on 5/14.

That's so cheap I'm almost tempted to go, and I don't really even like Don Quixote. However, if you're not familiar with the Kennedy Center, beware the $22 parking fee. Use one of the garages across the street, next to the Watergate, and you can save $10-12.

I'm headed to DC (unexpectedly!!!!) tomorrow for the matinee. As I live right outside of Philly, it's only a 2 and 1/2 hour drive for me. Can't beat 35 dollar tickets. Too bad I was going to go into work tomorrow to catch up on stuff and now I'm heading to the Kennedy center. It's my first time seeing Don Quixote. I also have tickets to the Wednesday matinee on 5/14.

That's so cheap I'm almost tempted to go, and I don't really even like Don Quixote. However, if you're not familiar with the Kennedy Center, beware the $22 parking fee. Use one of the garages across the street, next to the Watergate, and you can save $10-12.

On-street parking is free on Sundays. Just give yourself time to drive around a little to search for an available space. Downtown will probably be crowded during the day (though this week's heavy rain may have spoiled the cherry blossoms). There are also parking garages on I Street between 21st and 22nd and 22 Street between I Street and Penn. Ave. that charge $11 on evenings and weekends and are less than 2 blocks from the shuttle stop.

I'm headed to DC (unexpectedly!!!!) tomorrow for the matinee. As I live right outside of Philly, it's only a 2 and 1/2 hour drive for me. Can't beat 35 dollar tickets. Too bad I was going to go into work tomorrow to catch up on stuff and now I'm heading to the Kennedy center. It's my first time seeing Don Quixote. I also have tickets to the Wednesday matinee on 5/14.

That's so cheap I'm almost tempted to go, and I don't really even like Don Quixote. However, if you're not familiar with the Kennedy Center, beware the $22 parking fee. Use one of the garages across the street, next to the Watergate, and you can save $10-12.

On-street parking is free on Sundays. Just give yourself time to drive around a little to search for an available space. Downtown will probably be crowded during the day (though this week's heavy rain may have spoiled the cherry blossoms).

All remaining orchestra seats for the Sat and Sun Don Q matinees are being discounted for $35. Offer Number "177159."

Went to today's (Sat.) matinee of DON Q, my only performance of the run. Decent crowd but far from sold out. I guess that folks are out enjoying the finally-warmish weather?

There was lots to love in today's DQ, not least of all the individual dancing of both leads, Isabella Boylston and Daniil Simkin. Individually, they were extraordinary. Alas, together, they are an odd pairing. Not that they imploded -- Simkin held Boylston high in two one-handed high lifts in A1 -- but, crudely stated, they look like Cougar and her Baby Cub. And not just due to their sizes (he diminutive and she a bit taller and large-boned). Either of the afternoon's Flower Girls, Sarah Lane or Luciana Paris, would have been a better 'fit' as a Kitri for Simkin...and both danced their A3 solos magnificently...as did Boylston, who is surely ready for Principal status. But, oh, not to be paired again with Baby Cub, please!!!.

The big surprise of the matinee - my loudest 'bravos!' - went to the Gypsy Leader, who almost stole the show: Zhiyao Zhang. Wowee - zowee! Where did he come from...JKO School? THAT was World Class from Zhiyao Zhang. ABT may have lost Joseph Phillips...but welcome, Zhiyao Zhang!

Conductor Ormsby Wilkins could only do so much with that orchestra...as if the KC Opera House Orch has never played the score of DQ before? Good grief.

Thank you Natalia for your review. It is much appreciated. Oddly I have never thought of Isabella Boylston as large boned. She is about 5' 5" (guessing), but I always think of her as having a smallish frame.

You're right, vrsfanatic. Isabella is definitely slender & 'mid-height' - not tiny, not an amazon - but, when standing next to 'baby cub,' her ribcage seems twice as big as his. I do not get this feeling at all when she is dancing with, say, Gomes or other taller/bigger male principals.

Somehow it didn't bother me so much when I saw the two of them in Swan Lake at the Met a couple of years ago. It really struck me as odd today, with the very bright lights of DQ. I'd love to see BOTH of these great artists with more appropriate partners.

I don't have the technical knowledge that most posters here have, as I just saw my first full ballet last October. This was my first ABT performance, and I was blown away by the leads. I thought both Isabella Boylston and Daniil Simkin were extraordinary. I haven't seen many dancers (only the PA Ballet) but Simkin's turns and jumps took my breath away. I didn't really notice a size issue between the two, but my seats were in the rear orchestra, so maybe I was too far away to notice.

I liked Misty Copeland as the Queen of the Dryads better than her Mercedes, and I thought Gemma Bond was good as Amour. Unlike Natalia, I wasn't as impressed with the first flower girl solo in act 3 , it looked a bit clumsy to me, but again, I don't have much technical knowledge, so what do I know.

I get to see DQ again on the 14th in NY with Part and Whiteside. I look forward to seeing who will dance Mercedes and Espada and hope it's someone different so I can compare the two performances with different dancers. I think Boylston and Simkin will be hard to beat.

Being a newly obsessed ballet nut is awesome, as everything is so new and exciting. Can't wait for the Met season to start!

I attended the matinee performance today of Don Q and must admit to feeling underwhelmed. The ballet was frothy, colorful, and fun, but Simkin's partnering of Boylston was not especially graceful. He's best with the solo dances, and, to my eyes, Bolyston lacked power and attack. Her back seems somewhat inflexible and her upper body lacked polish. I wanted to see the Thursday night cast (Murphy & Gomes) but simply couldn't make the date. Perhaps that accounts for some of my disappointment today. Sarah Lane and Gemma Bond gave strong performances, and Misty Copeland seems very popular indeed.